CPL Announces Leadership Transition as Firm Celebrates 50 Years of Design Excellence

ROCHESTER, N.Y., Sept. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- CPL, a full-service design firm serving public and private-sector clients for 50 years, is proud to announce a significant leadership transition as it celebrates its milestone anniversary. With the promotion of Christopher Colby, AIA, LEED AP to President and Chief Operating Officer, the firm enters its third generation of leadership—marking a pivotal moment in its continued evolution.

This transition reflects CPL's steadfast commitment to strategic growth, cultural continuity, and design excellence. Colby's appointment follows a rigorous succession planning process and aligns with the firm's Vision 2025 initiative, launched in 2017 to guide CPL into its next era.

A Unique Journey to Leadership
With more than 25 years of architectural experience, Colby's journey began during a high school internship on a local church renovation project that sparked his passion for design. He continued his studies at Alfred State and later joined CPL, where he quickly found purpose in K-12 design, driven by a desire to create more inspirational learning environments for students.

Following six years with the firm, Colby founded his own firm, navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship during the financial crisis and gaining invaluable experience in residential and commercial design. In 2014, he rejoined CPL to rebuild its K-12 practice in the Hudson Valley. His leadership during this period laid the foundation for him to become National Practice Leader for K-12, where he further expanded CPL's presence in the Carolinas.

"I've had the rare opportunity to learn the business side of architecture from the ground up," said Colby. "From sitting in on leadership meetings early in my career to running my own firm, I've developed a deep understanding of what makes an organization thrive. I'm honored to lead CPL into its next chapter."

Honoring Legacy, Building the Future
Colby succeeds Richard Henry, P.E., who has transitioned to Chief Business Development Officer. In this capacity, Henry will remain actively engaged with the firm, focusing on identifying growth opportunities, forging key partnerships, and expanding CPL's market presence.

Todd Liebert, AIA, NCARB, CPL's CEO, along with Henry, have been instrumental in guiding the firm through transformative growth. Together, they've built a leadership model that is more distributed, geographically diverse, and aligned with the firm's expanding national footprint.

Additional Leadership Advancements
CPL is also announcing several other leadership updates, further strengthening its executive team and practice areas:

• Ken Mayer, FAIA, LEED AP, has been named Chief Administrative Officer, and will oversee firmwide business operations, human resources, and infrastructure to ensure organizational efficiency.
• Graham Boyd, AIA, LEED AP, NCARB, has been appointed National K-12 Practice Leader, leveraging his experience in education design to expand CPL's presence in the K-12 sector and carry forward Colby's legacy of innovation in learning environments.
• Rachel Nilson, AIA, NCARB, will serve as National Community & Culture Practice Leader, guiding CPL's work in civic and cultural spaces that foster engagement and strengthen communities.
• Rebecca Keefer, AICP, has been appointed National Placemaking Practice Leader, where she will focus on planning and creating meaningful, community-centered environments.
• CJ Gaffney has been hired as Director of Strategic Marketing, bringing experience from Partners + Napier to elevate CPL's market positioning.

In addition to these operational and practice leadership roles, CPL reaffirms the strength of its Board of Directors, which provides governance and strategic oversight. The board includes Chairman Todd Liebert, along with directors Chris Colby; Rick Henry; Ken Mayer; Rebecca Keefer; Michelle Trott, AIA, NCARB, ACHA; Eric Wies, P.E.; and Mike Mistriner, AIA.

Culture That Endures
As CPL enters its sixth decade, the firm remains grounded in its values and culture.

"We've weathered many challenges, and our strength lies in our ability to adapt while staying true to who we are," said Liebert. "This leadership transition is not just a change in titles—it's a reaffirmation of CPL's commitment to bold, adaptive leadership and purpose-driven design."

About CPL
Founded in 1975, CPL is a 500+ person multi-disciplined architecture, engineering and planning firm offering inspiring design services and enriching communities in 26 cities across 8 states. The firm specializes in the Community & Culture, Healthcare, Higher Education, Infrastructure and K-12 Education market sectors – providing architectural, interior design, civil engineering, buildings and structural engineering, planning, landscape architecture and 3D/virtual design services to a host of public and private clients. Visit www.CPLteam.com to learn more.

SOURCE CPL Architecture | Engineering | Planning